Chef Woody Back, executive chef of Table & Main in Roswell, Georgia, and co-owner and executive chef of the upcoming Coalition Food & Beverage in Alpharetta, Georgia, has received the highest honor bestowed by Georgia-based poultry producer Springer Mountain Farms, the Celebrate the Chef Award. The award is presented to a select handful of chefs that demonstrate culinary excellence, consistency in the dining experience and a commitment to the use of fresh and local ingredients.
“Chef Back is the epitome of the chefs that we love to work with at Springer Mountain Farms,” says Dale Faunce, Springer Mountain Farms marketing director. “In visiting his restaurant and working with him at our special events and dinners, we’ve seen first-hand his dedication to food and ingredient selection and the dining experience. For us, that means local, always fresh and all-natural with great taste. We look forward to seeing his newest restaurant opening this fall.”
With Kentucky roots, Back began his culinary journey in front of the house positions in New York, and then pursued his passion at Johnson & Wales University – College of Culinary Arts. Back started as sous chef at Havana in Norfolk, Va., and moved up to executive chef during his eight years before moving to chef de cuisine at Coastal Grill in Virginia Beach, Va. Returning to his Southern roots with family ties in Atlanta, Back joined Tom Colicchio at Craft and later worked at Holeman & Finch and Restaurant Eugene. Following those stops, Back joined Table & Main.
“We’re thrilled to win this award from our friends at Springer Mountain. As a chef, I coach my team that our integrity begins with selecting the right ingredients from people who care as much for their products as we do our own menu,” says Back. “We value relationships with our farmers, whether they’re folks we’ve met through our involvement with the Roswell Farmer’s Market or partnerships we carried from past kitchens. We owe it to them to take care with our food, to constantly do better, learn more, plate more precisely and educate our team about the food.”
During this career, Back has become a role model for responsible food sourcing and agricultural sustainability. Back is the president of the Roswell Farmers and Artisan Market, as well as an active member of the James Beard Foundation and Southern Foodways Alliance.
In fall 2017, Back also becomes co-owner and the driving force in the kitchen of Coalition Food and Beverage, located in downtown Alpharetta’s Teasley Place development. The restaurant is the third concept from R.O. Hospitality along with Table & Main and Osteria Mattone. The new spot will offer a contemporary menu with progressive and signature interpretations of American wood-fired classics.
